The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

But I fear lest by any means . . . your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Beware of the false apostles, who are panders of Satan, adulterers of the genuine doctrine of Christ, and therefore of the Church and of your souls

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus . Christ is here put for Christianity and its perfection. If the false apostles should preach any other doctrine concerning Christ than that which I have preached, as though my preaching were insufficient for salvation and Christian perfection, then, &c. He speaks a few words further on of the same thing as another Gospel But, in Gal. i. 8, he orders that any one who should preach another Gospel was not only not to be tolerated, but was even not to be listened to, and was to be anathematised. Hence by the phrase here another Gospel he means a clear and more spiritual explanation of the Gospel. Or if ye receive another Spirit If you should receive other gifts of the Holy Spirit from the false apostles besides those that you received from me, you might well suffer them. He is censuring the pride of the false apostles, who boasted that they had more to give than S. Paul (Theophylact). Where, he asks, is that .other Spirit, or those other gifts of which they boast ? They do not appear. I call you then to witness that you have received from them nothing but empty words

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chief est Apostles. Beza says : If Paul was in no way inferior to the chiefest Apostles, therefore Peter was not his superior in power and authority, and consequently he is not the Prince of the Apostles and of the Church.” I answer that Paul yielded to none in any of the things just mentioned, such as in preaching Christ, in the gifts of the Spirit, l6o SECOND EPISTLE TO THE in the genuineness of his Gospel, in the labours he bore, and in apostolical gifts in general. The question of power and primacy, therefore has no place here. Were he here to claim it for himself, it would be a sign of the most foolish ambition. Moreover, although by the phrase the very chiefest Apostles , Chrysostom, Theopylact, CEcumenius, understand Peter, James, and John, and this interpretation seems more simple and true, yet very many later writers understand it to refer to the false apostles, who boasted of their greatness. In this case S. Paul is speaking ironically

Which desire occasion. Of finding fault with me for not bringing anything peculiar to myself more than others. That wherein they glory they may be found even as we. They boast that in their preaching they are equal to me, when they are inferior; for I preach freely, they for the sake of gain. C f. ver. 21 (Anselm, Chrysostom, Theophylact)

Transforming thetnselves into the Apostles of Christ. From this it appears that these detractors of Paul were not believers who were impelled by mere vanity or by envy of Paul, but were heretics ; for, in ver. 1 5, he calls them false apostles and ministers of Satan. Secondly, he censures their hypocrisy in that, in order that they might impose on the Christians, they took to themselves the appearance and name of the Apostles of Christ, as though they were of Christ, and preachers of the Christian faith. The Calvinists of the present day are of the same kind, for they deform and profane everything sacred — our rites, sacraments, churches, monasteries, sanctuaries, altars, all true worship, religion, and godliness — and yet wish to be looked upon and spoken of as reformers

Seeing that many glory after the flesh . In things merely outward and carnal, as, eg., in birth, riches, wisdom, circumcision, having Hebrew parents — of all which these false apostles boast Hence I too will glory in them (Chrysostom). Cf. x. 2, note

For ye suffer fools gladly , seeing ye yourselves are wise. Irony. You have foolishly suffered the boastings of these vainglorious false apostles ; I hope that you will suffer me to glory wisely and usefully among them that are wise. Theophylact, however, and Anselm think that this is said seriously, in the way of exaggerated rebuke. Since you are wise in Christ, you ought to have exploded the folly of the false apostles. Why, then, do you gladly suffer them?

For ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage. This is 1 66 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE aimed at the insatiable arrogance, avarice, and tyranny of the false apostles. You suffer false apostles, who imperiously treat you as slaves, who devour you by extorting from you your goods, who are exalted by their self-praise, who smite you in the face, not with the palms of their hands, but with insults. Hence he adds : “ I speak as concerning reproach.” These words, therefore, contain a sharp rebuke. These men squander your money, take away your freedom and honour, load you with taunts, as though you were slaves ; but I have borne myself humbly, have lived at my own expense, have wished to put upon you the easy yoke of Christ Yet you prefer them to me, as though, when compared with these, your imperious lords, nay, tyrants, I was not sufficiently well-born, or powerful, or eloquent. S. Bernard (de Consid. lib. i. c. 3) says : “ When you may he free there is no virtue in the patience which lets you become a slave . Do not conceal the slavery into which you are being daily led while you know it not It is the mark of a dull and heavy heart not to fed its own continual trouble . Trouble gives to the hearing understandings provided it be not excessive . If it is, it gives not understanding, but carelessness? Let superiors and prelates console themselves by the example of S. Paul, when they duly do their duty, and are despised by those under them, and see others preferred before them. It has ever been the custom of the world, and ever will be till the end, as Salmeron notices here, to obstinately resist the servants of God, to murmur, and, meeting rebuke, on the least occasion, to complain of even moderate severity ; to spurn all discipline ; to submit servilely to impostors, libertines, and false apostles; to entrust everything to them; to bear patiently whatever burden they may choose to impose. The Israelites, eg ., despised the holy and gentle Samuel, and preferred to bear the yoke of a self-willed and tyrannical king (1 Sam. viii.). Ver. si . — I speak as concerning reproach This belongs to the preceding. The “smiting on the face” spoken of is here explained to be mental, not physical— consisting in the ignominy and revilings cast, as it were, in their faces by the false apostles. This S. PAUL'S LABOURS 1 67 “ smiting ” is no less wrong than if they had been beaten like slaves. Others, however, interpret these words to mean : “ I say this to your shame.” This, however, would require irpbs instead of Kara. As though we had been weak Refer this to the words, ye suffer . You suffer these bold and imperious false apostles ; me you do not, but rather despise me as weak and timid, as though I could not have acted more imperiously than I have done. I could, indeed, have done so, but I would not, through humility, modesty, and abounding charity (Chrysostom). Whereinsoever any is bold. If any one ventures to boast foolishly, I too can do the same

Are they Hebrews l so am /. The word Hebrew is derived either (1.) from a Hebrew word denoting “ across the stream,” in allusion to their descent from Abraham, who crossed the Euphrates from Chaldsea to dwell in Palestine. Hebrews in this sense would mean (to coin a word) transamnine, as we speak Of transmarine or transalpine. Abraham, after crossing the Euphrates, is the first to be called Hebrew (Gen. xiv. 13). The LXX and Aquila render the word there “crosser ; ” S. Augustine (qu. 29 in Gen.) renders it “ transfluvial.” So Chrysostom, Origen, Theodoret understand the word. (2.) Or the Jews were called Hebrews as being descended from Heber, Abraham’s forefather, the only man who with his family, after the confusion of tongues at Babel, retained the primeval Hebrew tongue, together with true faith, religion, and piety. (Cf. Gen. x. 21, and xi. 1, et seq.) Those, then, are wrong who suppose that Hebraei is derived from Abrahaei. S. Augustine, it is true, at one time held this opinion (de Consens . Evang. lib. L c. 14), but in his Retractations (lib. ii. c. 14) he gave it up. The meaning of the Apostle, at all events, is this : These false apostles glory in their birth — in their being, as Hebrews, descendants of Heber, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; in their possession of the holy religion of their ancestors, and the primeval tongue. But I also am a Hebrew and descendant of Abraham — like him in stock, tongue, faith, and religion

Forty stripes save one. The Lord had ordered, in Deut. xxv. 3, that the number of stripes should not exceed forty. The Jews, to make sure of obedience to this precept, used to inflict on criminals one less. S. PAUL’S LABOURS 169

I have been in the deep . The Greek word for the deep may refer to a well or a prison, as well as the sea. Hence (1.) some think, says Theophylact, that that well is meant in which Paul is said to have lain concealed after escaping from the attack made on him by the people of Lystra (Acts xiv. 18). (2.) Baronius {Annals, a.d. 58), following Bede and Theodoret, thinks that the Cyzicenum, that deep and loathsome dungeon, like the Barathrum at Athens and the Tullianum at Rome, into which Paul was thrown, is here meant (3.) It is better to understand the deep to be the sea, and to be an explanation of the hardships of his shipwreck : “A night and a day I have been in the deep.” In other words, he says : I was tossed about by so violent a tempest that I seemed to be days and nights in the depths of the sea (Maldonatus Not Afanusc.). Or it may be that he means to say that after his shipwreck he spent a day and a night tossed by the waves, not in a boat or on a raft, but swimming in the deep, on the open sea (Theophylact, Ambrose, S. Thomas). Haymo says that this latter explanation of S. Paul’s rescue alive from the belly of the deep, like another Jonah, is the tradition of the Fathers. Of these scourgings and this shipwreck there is no record in the Acts of the Apostles. The shipwreck at Melita, narrated in Acts xxvii, happened long after this, when Paul was sent a prisoner to Rome. Only one scourging is mentioned, that in Acts xvi., and only one stoning, that in Acts xiv. S. Luke, it is evident, therefore, is silent on many details of S. Paul’s life

The governor under Aretas the king. This satrap of King Aretas was, says Theophylact, the father-in-law of Herod. Josephus says that Herod Antipas, who put to death John the Baptist, married the daughter of Aretas

And through a window in a basket was I let down. This escape of S. Paul from Damascus happened in the year 39 (Acts ix. 25), when, as Josephus says, Aretas, King of Arabia and of the country near Damascus, waged war against Herod, because Herod had repudiated his wife, the daughter of Aretas, for the purpose of 174 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE marrying Herodias. In this war Herod was worsted, and slain by Aretas. This brought on Aretas the vengeance of Tiberius Caesar, who sent Vitellius, governor of Syria, to take or slay Aretas (Josephus, Ant lib. x. c. 7). Using the opportunity, the Jews, enraged with S. Paul, seem to have accused him before the prefect of Aretas of disturbing the people under a pretext of preaching the Gospel, and so drawing them away from heathenism, and consequently from Aretas. They wished to show that this would end in his betraying Damascus to the Jews and to Vitellius. Hence the prefect sought to take Paul, but he, being warned, escaped by being let down by the wall in a basket. Of. Baronius (Anna/s, vol. i. p. 304). CHAPTER XII 1 For commending of his apostle ship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations , 9 yet he rather chooseth to glory of his infirmities , 1 1 blaming them for forcing him to this vain boasting, 14 He promiseth to come to them again : but yet altogether in the affection of a father , 20 although he feareth he shall to his grief find many offenders , and public disorders there . T T is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and reveA lations of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell ; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell : God knoweth ;) such an one caughtrup to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell : God knoweth ;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such an one will I glory : yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool ; for I will say the truth : but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be , or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me. My grace is sufficient for thee : for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake : for when I am weak, then am I strong. 11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me : for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. 13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you ? forgive me this wrong. 14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you ; and I will not be burdensome to you : for I seek not yours, but you : for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. *75 176 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE , 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. 16 But be it so, I did not burden you : nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. 1 7 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you ? 18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother, Did Titus make a gain of you ? walked we not in the same spirit ? walked we not in the same steps ? 19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ : but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. 20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not : lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults : 21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. That the Corinthians may esteem him above the false apostles, he describes his being carried up into the third heaven. ii. He goes on to say (ver. 7) that to prevent his being puffed up a thorn in the flesh was given him ; for strength is made perfect in weakness. iii. He clears himself (ver. 11) from any charge of self-love, by pointing out that it was they who had compelled him to praise himself, instead of commending him, as they ought to have done, for his long-suffering, miracles, preaching without charge, charity, and care for them. iv. He refutes the calumny (ver. 17) brought against him, that he collected money from them craftily, not personally, but by means of Titus. v. He expresses a fear (ver. 21) lest, when he should come to them, he might find some of them involved in dissensions and other sins 5 and thus he tacitly warns them that he may with grief be compelled to castigate them